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Doctors, Businesses Offer Services Online During Coronavirus Crisis

CANTON (CBS) — With the coronavirus stopping normal business across industries, some are finding ways around it.

“I couldn’t sleep at all Monday night. I said, ‘This is so hard.’ I’ve been doing this for 35 years and I just don’t know what to be without being an optometrist,” said Dr. Alice Cusner.

Dr. Cusner knew she had to hold on to some normalcy during this uncertain time. So until the threat of coronavirus clears up, the Canton optometrist is on Facebook — not diagnosing, but supporting.

“If somebody has a question about how to remove eye makeup or what to do to prevent a sty, trying to prevent childhood myopia progression, these are things I’m really passionate about and can talk about on the internet,” she said.

Dr. Cusner hopes to reopen sometime in April. For now, it’s too much of a risk. She said she works too closely with her patients, especially the elderly.

“I said, ‘What if I started a Facebook page with plumbing questions?’ Free advice. If I can walk you through something that’s great,” she said. “With the technology, sending photos and videos to my phone or email has saved so much time for me, has saved customers so much money.”

Jacobs-Marshalsea is still answering emergency calls, but is putting health and safety above everything else.

“Why even risk my health or anybody’s else’s health? If I can walk them through something, why not?” she said. “It’s just too scary. It’s not worth taking a chance.”